With just six weeks to go before re:Invent 2021, the executive marketing team at AWS was looking for a compelling way to open Andy Selipsky’s Executive Summit keynote, the first one he’d deliver after becoming CEO, and the first in-person re:Invent since the global pandemic struck. AWS wanted something that balanced inspiration and motivation while championing the successes of both AWS and its customers and turned to Willis Collaborative to deliver.
We quickly put together a half-dozen or so approaches and accompanying creative treatments for AWS to react to, and based on the winning elements from those we moved onto production. We started by drafting a script combining motivational language with Amazon and customer successes, and prepared accompanying style frames to demonstrate the look and feel direction. With feedback in hand, we went full bore on production, using a variety of 3D and motion graphic animation techniques to port the re:Invent look and feel to the keynote opener. The result is a powerful and concise opener.